Of all the political maps and charts relative to last week’s election, the one that struck me the most came from the New York Times. The map is composed of red arrows pointing to the right where US counties moved in the Republicans’ direction and blue arrows pointing to the left where counties moved in the Democrats’ direction. The map is awash in red with only a few nearly indiscernible spots of blue.

The accompanying article states: “Of the counties with nearly complete results, more than 90 percent shifted in favor of former President Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential election.”

This direction is obvious to those on both sides of the election. “America is different,” New York Times writers David French and Patrick Healy lamented the night of the election. Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan was glad to agree: “America, after its long journey through the 2010s and ’20s, is becoming more conservative again.”

For those whose values could be considered more conservative than progressive or liberal, this news perhaps indicates that our nation has not devolved from our Judeo-Christian moral foundations as far as many feared.

But there is a cloud in this silver lining.

“Civil war carried on by other means”

Following last week’s election, I have been thinking of numerous Christians in public service I have known over the years. Each was grateful for the efforts of believers who worked to help them win their election. Without exception, however, each was frustrated that these same believers did not then become more involved in the communities and governments their leaders were elected to serve.

As several told me, it was as if Christians thought they did all they needed to do by voting for candidates they thought would advance their values. They did not understand that in a democratic republic, elected officials can only do so much to change society.

In his classic book, The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America, Richard John Neuhaus observed, “In a democratic society, state and society must draw from the same moral well.” Americans do not have autocrats or theocrats ruling us from values we may not share or understand. To the contrary, we elect leaders to do what we wish them to do.

In a democracy, our leaders cannot lead us where we are unwilling to go or give us what we are unwilling to receive, which is why Thomas Jefferson observed, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”

Accordingly, if Americans do not coalesce around the consensual morality that was foundational to the beginning of our nation, we can expect our political divisions and rancor to persist. As Neuhaus warned, “In the absence of a public ethic, we arrive at the point where, in Alasdair MacIntyre’s arresting phrase, ‘politics becomes civil war carried on by other means.’”

“Where liberty under law and justice can triumph”

On this Veterans’ Day, we have reason to give profound thanks for the millions of men and women who served our nation and defended our freedoms. But the cause for which they served and many died is a cause that must be served by every generation.

As Ronald Reagan famously warned in his 1967 Inaugural Address as governor of California, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.”

Earlier in that address, Mr. Reagan also stated:

It is inconceivable to me that anyone could accept this delegated authority without asking God’s help. And I pray that we of the legislature and the administration can be granted the wisdom and the strength beyond our own limited powers. That with divine guidance we can avoid easy expedience. That we can work to build a state where liberty under law and justice can triumph, where compassion can govern and wherein the people can participate and prosper because of their government and not in spite of it.

Now the path we chart is not an easy one. It demands much of those chosen to govern, but also from those who did the choosing.

“Quite a different house from the one you thought of”

This same “path” lies before our nation today.

Here’s the problem: It is difficult to motivate people to be more moral than they already are. In a democracy, the only way to effect lasting change is to inspire people to want to change.

To this end, what America needs most is for America’s Christians to be the actual presence of Christ. Nothing less than Christlike character will do. Nothing less than Christlike compassion, courage, wisdom, evangelism, and ministry will suffice.

As the brilliant sociologist James Davison Hunter demonstrates persuasively in To Change the World, culture is changed most effectively not by winning elections, building large churches, or gaining social popularity, but by people who achieve their highest place of influence and then live there effectively. He calls this manifesting “faithful presence.”

My prayer is that you and I settle for nothing less than lives so transformed by God’s Spirit that our secularized society wants the change they see in us.

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis made my point in a powerful and poignant way:

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to?

The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

Are you so submitted to God’s Spirit that he can build nothing less than a “palace” with you today?

Monday news to know:

• Trump wins Arizona to sweep swing states and secure 312 total electoral votes
• Trump and Biden to meet in Oval Office on Wednesday
• Amsterdam bans protests for three days following violent attacks on Israeli soccer fans
• Ukraine launches “massive attack” on Moscow, shutting down airports
• On this day in 1918: Armistice Day: World War I ends

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote for the day:

“I know of no other way to triumph over sin long-term than to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God” —John Piper

Denison Forum

A warning to Christians from the 2024 election

In the wake of Tuesday’s election, members of the Democratic Party have spent a great deal of energy trying to explain why Kamala Harris lost and Donald Trump won. And while most perspectives have covered the gamut from “America is racist and sexist” to “President Biden should have dropped out sooner,” some less beholden to the party line are urging Democratic leaders to take a step back and be a bit more introspective.

Brett Stephens, for example, perceptively assigns blame to “three larger mistakes of worldview”:

First, the conviction among many liberals that things were pretty much fine, if not downright great, in Biden’s America — and that anyone who didn’t think that way was either a right-wing misinformer or a dupe. Second, the refusal to see how profoundly distasteful so much of modern liberalism has become to so much of America. Third, the insistence that the only appropriate form of politics when it comes to Trump is the politics of Resistance — capital R.

There is truth to all three, but the first point in particular seems crucial to any objective understanding of Tuesday’s results.

You see, America has always been a divided nation to some extent. While we can, at times, unite around a common goal, even then, the diversity that exists within our society will inevitably lead to some fairly clear lines between the various groups that make up the nation.

And that’s all right. After all, diversity cannot exist without differences, and God made each of us unique. However, he also intended for us to share a common foundation as people made in his image (Genesis 1:27).

It should not come as a surprise that, as our culture increasingly rejects that foundation, we’re struggling to keep our differences from becoming divisive.

As a result, we’re facing what David Brooks calls “a crisis of respect.” And while he sees those issues as playing out primarily on the left, I think it’s fair to say that all of us struggle at times to show respect to those who think differently than we do on the issues we find most important.

Fortunately, we’re not the first group to struggle with that problem.

First-century problems today

In a recent article for Christianity Today, Julien C. H. Smith looked to Paul’s letter to the Romans for guidance on how to deal with division in a way that honors both God and those with whom we disagree.

He notes that, for the first-century church in Rome, the division between Gentile and Jewish Christians over issues like the dietary laws threatened to tear their community apart. Both sides were convinced that not only were they correct, but that the other side was simply too ignorant and obstinate to see the truth.

Does that sound familiar?

In Rome, it led them to see their fellow believers as more of a problem to solve than a person to love. We’re seeing the same approach in our culture today. Smith notes that the problem only gets more acute when the people with whom we disagree are an unavoidable part of our lives:

When our enemies are distant, the question of loving them can be conveniently ignored. But when the enemy is across the table, in the same committee meeting, or in a group project, the countercultural wisdom and necessity of Jesus’ commands—love your enemy, who is your neighbor (Matt. 5:43–44)—becomes apparent.

Perhaps that need for distance is why so many in our culture retreat to echo chambers and cling so tightly to their mischaracterizations of the other side. But God has no intention of allowing us to live that kind of life. Instead, he’s called us to be salt and light, changing our culture from within rather than lobbing Bible verses and judgment from the relative safety of like-minded communities.

And Paul argued that the best place to start is by welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us (Romans 15:7). So how do we do that?

Three ways to be welcoming

One: No one needs to earn kindness

The first step is remembering that our call to be kind and welcoming toward others has nothing to do with whether they have earned such accommodation. Rather, it is meant to be an act of obedience, done in gratitude for the way God has welcomed us.

That doesn’t mean we should act foolishly or recklessly welcome every passing stranger into our home. But the reminder that we are to treat others with respect and dignity because that’s how Christ has treated us should make it easier to look past our disagreements to see people as God does.

Two: People are more than their politics

The second step—one that is incredibly important in our current climate—is to remember that people are more than their politics. To be sure, there are some crazies out there who have made politics their new religion and worship at the feet of whatever party leader best represents their views at a given moment. But most people have a better grasp on reality than that, and how they voted (or if they voted) should not define the way we see them.

So if Tuesday’s election comes up in conversation at the office, among friends, or at the Thanksgiving table in a few weeks’ time, don’t let politics become the primary lens through which you view someone. They are no more the sum of their political views than you are, which leads us to the last point we need to keep in mind.

Three: Differences are an opportunity to learn from each other

The third and final step in welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us is to entertain the possibility that those with different views than our own can have something to teach us.

Of all the ways in which our society has suffered as a result of the “crisis of respect” we’re currently facing, the inability to learn from one another has to be toward the top of the list. Engaging with people who think differently than you is often the best way to evaluate your own beliefs.

Even if the conversation serves only to reinforce that your thoughts are correct, testing them against their ideological counterparts can help you to better understand why they are true. And more often than we may care to admit, those conversations will reveal blind spots or holes in our argument. When that happens, treating the corrections as an opportunity rather than a threat is key.

As Christians who serve the God who is Truth, we do the gospel and our witness a disservice when we earn the reputation as a people who are closed-minded and unwilling to engage with beliefs that are different from our own.

So the next time you are given the opportunity to talk with someone whose views differ from yours, recognize it as a chance to grow and potentially help the other person to do the same.

Will you pray that God will give you just such an opportunity today?

 Friday news to know:

• President-elect Trump names Susie Wiles as his Chief of Staff
• Florida, South Dakota, and Nebraska become the first states to vote not to expand abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned
• California wildfires force thousands to flee their homes
• Ancient Babylonian tablet may reveal the resting place of Noah’s Ark
• On this day in 1895: German scientist accidentally discovers X-rays

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote of the day:

“You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” —Anne Lamott

Denison Forum

Why we want more of what we want most

Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove called Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election “the most astonishing campaign in modern history.” After reading scores of reports on the results, I cannot find anyone who disagrees.

Analysts are citing the economy in general, inflation in particular, President Biden’s ego, Kamala Harris as a candidate, her failure to distinguish herself from Mr. Biden, vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, the Democratic Party, the media, and the American electorate.

However, one of the most insightful critiques I have found takes a completely different approach.

“This was no ordinary contest”

Daniel McCarthy is the editor of an intellectual journal called Modern Age: A Conservative Review. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, the Spectator, the National Interest, and a variety of other publications. Immediately following Donald Trump’s re-election, he published a guest essay in the New York Times titled, “This Is Why Trump Won.”

He writes:

This was no ordinary contest between two candidates from rival parties: The real choice before voters was between Mr. Trump and everyone else—not only the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, and her party, but also Republicans like Liz Cheney, top military officers like Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. John Kelly (also a former chief of staff), outspoken members of the intelligence community, and Nobel Prize-winning economists.

Framed this way, the presidential contest became an example of what’s known in economics as “creative destruction.” His opponents certainly fear that Mr. Trump will destroy American democracy itself.

To his supporters, however, a vote for Mr. Trump meant a vote to evict a failed leadership class from power and recreate the nation’s institutions under a new set of standards that would better serve American citizens.

In this view, those who gave Mr. Trump and his party such a strong mandate want them to forge a different and better future for our nation than previous administrations from both parties have been able to create. I am not only convinced Mr. McCarthy is right—I think his explanation provides a vital, even crucial insight for Christians seeking to serve Jesus in our post-Christian culture.

We want more of what we want most

One sentiment all humans share is a longing for more. Even on our best days, we want more of what we want most. Plato explained this as our “soul” remembering its preincarnate life. An evolutionary approach would suggest that we seek to improve ourselves and our world to propagate ourselves and our species. Psychologists might point to the “idealized self,” the person we wish to be and strive to convince others that we are.

A biblical explanation is that we were created by God for a personal relationship with him in a perfect paradise. Our sin led to our expulsion from Eden; the story of humanity is our striving to return. This is by divine design—despite our fallen state, we still possess a deep desire for the “abundant” life our Father wants for his children (John 10:10).

What priorities does our Lord intend this longing to produce?

One: Improve this world for the common good.

Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon is equally relevant to spiritual exiles wherever we live: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lᴏʀᴅ on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Two: Depend on God to do what we cannot.

The more we strive for a better world, the more frustrated we become when we fail. And the more we should then turn to the One who alone can change human hearts (2 Corinthians 5:17). Praying for the lost to be saved and for the saved to be sanctified is the most powerful way to serve both.

Three: Use this world to prepare for the eutopia to come.

1. S. Lewis observed, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” As we serve the common good with the help of God, we realize that the good we seek most is available only in the world to come (cf. Romans 8:18). We then use this life to serve life eternal.

“People who have come to know the joy of God”

Here’s the problem: Satan loves to pervert all that God creates. In this context, he tempts us to invert our three priorities to align with our secularized culture:

1. Improve this life for self-serving purposes.
2. Depend on ourselves to do what others cannot.
3. Strive to make a utopia of this world.

Now you and I must choose every day between Satan’s strategy and our Father’s priorities. It’s not enough to want the latter—we must intentionally and strategically enact them and measure success by them every day.

The further our culture drifts from God’s word and favor, the more urgent such priorities become—for us and for the nation we’re called to reach with biblical truth and grace.

To this end, let’s consider an observation from Henri Nouwen:

People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness. They point each other to flashes of light here and there, and remind each other that they reveal the hidden but real presence of God.

They discover that there are people who heal each other’s wounds, forgive each other’s offenses, share their possessions, foster the spirit of community, celebrate the gifts they have received, and live in constant anticipation of the full manifestation of God’s glory.

Will you “come to know the joy of God” today?

NOTE: What if this Christmas could be your most meaningful one yet? My wife Janet’s The Perfect Christmas devotional will guide you through daily reflections to help you reconnect with the true joy of Advent. When you give today, your generosity will help keep this Daily Article email coming to your inbox — and we’ll send you this 25-day book to thank you for your support.

Thursday news to know:

• Dow surges 1500 points to record, bonds tumble after Trump is elected president
• Iran’s currency falls to an all-time low as Trump clinches the US presidency
• German government coalition collapses as Scholz sacks Finance Minister Lindner
• Coal recovered from the Titanic and thousands of other historic shipwreck artifacts are going to auction
• On this day in 1944: FDR wins unprecedented fourth term

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote for the day:

“For Christians, the present life is the closest they will come to hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to heaven.” —Randy Alcorn

Denison Forum